There are numerous variables at play, chief among them who a team has beaten and where. But while we have a "what have you done for me lately?" mind-set, we consider the rankings a snapshot of the whole season, not just one week; that's why - at times - teams are ranked below a team they may have beaten.

We update these every Tuesday at 1:20 p.m. Eastern time, so if your team isn't where you think it should be, check back in a week.

On to the rankings:

Mike Huguenin's Rivals 120

1. LSU (6-0)BUZZ: Les Miles is living large. For the second week in a row, he will go against a flawed SEC East team missing its starting quarterback. And three weeks ago, his Tigers played a East Division team (Kentucky) that evidently doesn't know that you need a quarterback.
NEXT GAME: Saturday at Tennessee

2. Alabama (6-0)BUZZ: Nick Saban is living large, too. Last week, his Tide played Vandy and rolled over the Commodores. This week, the Tide get Ole Miss, a team that was beaten soundly by Vandy.
NEXT GAME: Saturday at Ole Miss

3. Oklahoma (5-0)BUZZ: OU treated Texas like ... well, they treated Texas like a fat kid treats a deep-fried Snickers bar at the Texas State Fair.
NEXT GAME: Saturday at Kansas

4. Wisconsin (5-0)BUZZ: The Badgers had last week off so they could rest up after dismantling Nebraska. This week, when you get right down to it, they're off again.
NEXT GAME: Saturday vs. Indiana

5. Clemson (6-0)BUZZ: The seriousness of QB Tajh Boyd's hip injury will be on every Tigers fan's mind this week. A positive, though, is that Clemson will be going against a team that has a burgeoning quarterback controversy.
NEXT GAME: Saturday at Maryland

6. Boise State (5-0)BUZZ: The Broncos' first conference game as a member of the Mountain West comes against Colorado State. Hmm. In short, it should be a lot like a WAC game for Boise.
NEXT GAME: Saturday at Colorado State

7. Oklahoma State (5-0)BUZZ: The Cowboys put up 70 on Kansas last week, and coach Mike Gundy pulled his starters late in the second quarter.
NEXT GAME: Saturday at Texas

8. Stanford (5-0)BUZZ: Brian Polian is Stanford's special teams coordinator. Gee, you think his dad - Indianapolis Colts vice chairman Bill Polian - would like to have the quarterback on his son's team?
NEXT GAME: Saturday at Washington State

9. Oregon (4-1)BUZZ: It seems likely that star TB LaMichael James is going to miss a few games with his dislocated elbow, even if this week's matchup looks as if it could be a preview of the Pac-12 title game.
NEXT GAME: Saturday vs. Arizona State

10. Arkansas (5-1)BUZZ: The Hogs just finished the Alabama-Texas A&M-Auburn stretch of their schedule. Their reward? A bye week, then games against Ole Miss and Vandy. In other words, three weeks off.
NEXT GAME: Oct. 22 at Ole Miss

11. Illinois (6-0)BUZZ: The Fighting Illini are off to their best start since 1951. Ohio State is next, but is anyone scared of the Buckeyes this season?
NEXT GAME: Saturday vs. Ohio State

12. Michigan (6-0)BUZZ: The Wolverines have lost three in a row to Michigan State. You wonder if coach Brady Hoke is telling his players this week that "big brothers" don't allow themselves to be picked on by their "little brother."
NEXT GAME: Saturday at Michigan State

13. Georgia Tech (6-0)BUZZ: Saturday's win over Maryland was the first time all season Tech had been held under 35 points. But it also was the first time the Yellow Jackets allowed fewer than 21.
NEXT GAME: Saturday at Virginia

14. Arizona State (5-1)BUZZ: It's one thing to go 2-0 against Pac-12 South foes. It's another thing to beat one of the big dogs in the Pac-12 North.
NEXT GAME: Saturday at Oregon

15. South Carolina (5-1)BUZZ: After Connor Shaw's performance in Saturday's rout of Kentucky, you have to think Steve Spurrier is hoping he never again will have to say, "Get in there, Stephen, and throw the ball."
NEXT GAME: Saturday at Mississippi State

16. Nebraska (5-1)BUZZ: The Huskers' comeback to beat Ohio State was historic. On the other hand, how in the world do you fall 21 points behind Ohio State to begin with?
NEXT GAME: Oct. 22 at Minnesota

17. West Virginia (5-1)BUZZ: The Mountaineers have played just one road game, but play their next two and three of their next four away from home.
NEXT GAME: Oct. 21 at Syracuse

18. Washington (4-1)BUZZ: There's an easy game this week, but the Huskies have Stanford, Oregon and USC in the next month.
NEXT GAME: Saturday vs. Colorado

19. Kansas State (5-0)BUZZ: K-State has been a big surprise, but the schedule toughens from here on out. Five of the next six games are against former Big 12 South teams.
NEXT GAME: Saturday at Texas Tech

20. Virginia Tech (5-1)BUZZ: Sophomore QB Logan Thomas rebounded from a poor performance against Clemson with a star-making outing against Miami. All of a sudden, though, this week's game is a critical one in the ACC race.
NEXT GAME: Saturday at Wake Forest

21. USC (4-1)BUZZ: The Trojans play their next two on the road, with Cal, then Notre Dame. Then they return home - to play Stanford. And Washington and Oregon loom in mid-November.
NEXT GAME: Thursday at California

22. Texas (5-1)BUZZ: There is no truth to the rumor that Bevo was served - medium rare - to the Oklahoma players Saturday night. But Bevo likely is worried his Longhorns could get torched again this week.
NEXT GAME: Saturday vs. Oklahoma State

23. Auburn (4-2)BUZZ: The defense has been a season-long issue, and now the offense has had back-to-back games with fewer than 17 points. Gus Malzahn better work his magic.
NEXT GAME: Saturday vs. Florida

24. Notre Dame (4-2)BUZZ: If not for turnovers, the Irish would be sitting at 6-0 and likely in the top six. Alas ...
NEXT GAME: Oct. 22 vs. USC

25. Michigan State (4-1)BUZZ: The Spartans lead the nation in total defense. Will they carry the same ranking after a meeting with the Wolverines? We have a feeling they don't care about that stat as long as they win their fourth in a row over Michigan.
NEXT GAME: Saturday vs. Michigan